Material forming apparatus



Dec. 12, 1944. R. F. MALLINA 2,364,989

MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR R. F. MAL L INA A T TORNE V Dec. 12, 1944.

R. F. MALLINA MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGLZ' INVENTOR R. F. MALL INA A T TOR/VEV Dec. 12, 1944. R. F. MALLINA 2,364,989

MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1941 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5 I02 27 /0/ 2a 2/ 25 .3: 9 T A r: 6 l i. 2:: l I 26 22 7 49 30* 3/ 74 40 I 76 5. 43; 30 52 35- 7/ 37 gal 38 35 I 4 INVENTOR R. F. MALL INA WW W ATTORNEY MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I/VVENTOR R F. MA LL INA ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1944 MATERIAL FORMING APPARATUS Rudolph F. Mallina, Hastings on Hudson, N. Y.,

assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 26, 1941, Serial No. 420,503

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in material forming apparatus and particularly to im provements in apparatus for reforming bent contact springs.

The object of this invention is to provide an arrangement for efiiciently and expeditiously straightening bent electrical contact springs.

In accordance with the general features of the invention there is provided in one embodiment thereof a machine for measuring a contact spring, clamped at its base, for straightness and then bending it to a degree that, when restored to normal, will assume its proper position of alignment. Such contact springs are employed extensively in the telephone art, particularly in telephone exchanges, where electrical connections are established through the use of relays, jacks, switches, etc., that contain a plurality of springs grouped into a pileup. To insure good electrical contact among the springs of a jack pileup, a certain minimum lateral pressure has been found essential. contact must rest against the back-stop with a certain tension-and if this tension is outside the required margin, the spring must be bent until the tension is correct. This is a costly item in telephone maintenance practice and if it were possible to make all springs of uniform thickness, uniform hardness, and perfect alignment, no adjustment would be necessary. Thickness and hardness can be kept within close limits during the manufacturing effort but straightness is a more diflicult requirement. However, the maintenance effort is reduced substantially by straightening the bent contact springs automatically with the machine described herein.

In one embodiment of the invention the spring straightening machine comprises a pair of motor actuated levers, one of which determines the amount of spring disalignment and the other of which bends the spring in the proper direction a predetermined distance beyond its elastic limit, so that when the spring returns to its free position it is in alignment.

While the machine disclosed herein describes the straightening of a single contact spring, the invention is not to be understood as limited thereto, as the machine can be quite easily adapted for straightening a plurality of contact springs simultaneously,

Referring now to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the spring straightening machine and a deformed contact spring;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the quantitative In relays, for example, the

lever assembly for determining the amount of '65 spring deformation and illustrates engagement of this lever with the deformed contact spring;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the bending lever and quantitative lever assemblies during the spring deflecting operation;

Fig. 4 is a detailed plan view of the quantitative lever mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 drawn along line 5-5;. and

Fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit for operating the machine.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown' a panel m for mounting the various apparatus comprising the spring straightening machine. Upon the panel is insulatedly secured in any well-known manner, a, vise II for clamping a deformed contact spring l2 into position. The vise ll comprises a base l3 upon which is rotatably mounted a clamping arm M, which is opened and closed by means of a thumb screw I5. Projections l6, H are provided on the upper side of base l3 for positioning the contact spring l2, said projections registering through holes in the clamping arm I 4. A manually operated deforming lever i8 is also rotatably mounted on the underside of base II to deflect spring l2 initially upward a predetermined amount dependingupon the position of adjusting screw [9. This deforming lever I8 is used primarilyto facilitate automatic operation of the machine during those instances where the spring has been clamped in the vise with its deflection downward'rather than upward. V

Spring alignment is indicated by means of a center marker 2|, which is-secured in any suitable manner, for instance, by welding, to a brack et 22 secured to panel it! by screw 23. A perfectly straight spring will line up with the center marker 2|, as illustrated by the dot-dash lines. In Fig. 1 the spring is shown deflected above the center marker 21 and therefore does not require any further deflection by lever Ill.

The amount of spring disalignment is measured by a lever 24, described as a quantitative lever herein for purposes of description. This lever (see Figs. 4. and 5) has two rigid metallic arms 26, 21 and an integral hub 28 rotatably and insulatedly secured to a metallic bushing 29 through an insulated sleeve 30 and pin 3|. Lever 24 is fastened to sleeve 30 by screws 20, 25. R0- tation of lever 24 is produced through a train of gears actuated by an electric motor 32, which operates until adjustable contact 33011 lever arm 25 engages spring I2, after which motor 32 is deenergized and lever 24 locked in said position.

Lever 24, as hereinafter explained, is later returned to its normal position through the influence of tensioning spring 34. Spring 34 is attached at one end to arm 21 and at the other end to bracket 35, which is fastened to panel ID.

The apparatus for the above lever and motor mechanism issupported by an individual-mounting plate- 36,-which is attached to panel I8 by; screws 31, 38, 39, 40. The motor 32 is appended in spaced relationship to the underside of mount.- ing plate 36 in any suitable manner, as for example, by the usual sleeved studs 41; andthepower thereof is transmittedthrough aidriving shaft 42 and pinion 43 fixedlyr placed thereon,

Gear 44 by meshing with pinion 43 furthertransmits the power to pinion 46 rigidly coupled to gear 44, the combination rotating-about shaft 41.

A clutch comprising a hub 48'rigidly coupledto'a" gear 49 and pinion 50 combination andirotatably mountedupona shaftil arranges for the transmission of; power, to the quantitative lever 24' bythe. engagement of; gear. 49. withpinion" 46; Clutch pinion 58in turn meshes with lever gear 52' which, being rigidly coupled to'sleeve3ll and through energization-ofa magnet 51; which at-'- tractsan armature 58 rotatablymountedon a" clevlsz59; The clevis'59'and mounting-bracket" 68' for magnet 51are bothaflixed to panel ID in a well'ek'nown manner. The travel of clutch armature 58'is regulated'by an' adjustablescrew 53. which alsoservesia'sl' a' support for one end of sprlng34'. Theattractlon of armature 58-forces clutch bushirrg; 48. in a downward direction to couple, the gear trains with consequent rotation of. lever 24, as ,above'described; To reduce friction between clutch armature'58 and clutch bushing 481a ball bearing El isseated in the top of clutch bushing; 48;

In order to prevent motor 32' from coasting upon deenergization thereof a magnetic brake mechanism isprovided. This mechanism comprisesabrake magnet"62 supported-by bracket 63 fastened to asecond bracket 64 by screws -66, 61-. Bracket 64is'. fastened to panel I by'screws-68, 68f and is provided with a, clevis assembly to support rotatable brake armature 1! at oneend thereof. At" the otherend of brake armature H is integrally formeda' U'shaped finger 12 to normally. engage clutch gear49'through the action of tensioni'ngspring 13'attachedat one end to a stud 14 I intermediately located on armature 1 I and at the, other endt'oa stud 16- fastened to mounting plate.3.6. Upon. energization,of brakemagnet 62 brake armature. 11" is attracted thereto: withthe result that'th'ebrake'finger His-withdrawn from engagement with clutch,gear'49- (shown'in dotdash lines Fig, 4'). and "the gear train is free to rotate.

The bending. lever mechanism, which deflects deformed. spring l2 a distance predetermined by the relative position of. quantitative lever 24, will now be described; It comprises (see Fig. 1) a is slightly different in design from that of the quantitative lever. 'I'he bending levercomprises a rigid bending arm 81 rotatably secured to a metallic bushing 82, which in turn is coupled to its associated gear train in a manner similar to that of the quantitative lever 24. It is to be noted, however, that the bending arm 8| is not insulated from. the gear train. The other arm 83of thebendinglever is insulatedly mounted on aniextensionz84of. the bending arm 8| and fastened thereto in. any suitable manner, as for example by a screw and nut arrangement 85. Thisa'rm-83 maybe of contact spring material andzis furnished with a contact 86 at the free end thereof. An adjusting screw 81 with insulated tip 88- thereon' isalso'provided on extension 84 of the-bending-arm 8lfor regulating the'relative position of contact/86 withrespect to contact 88f on quantitative lever arm 21. Attached to extension 84- also by screwand'nut combination is a flat l shaped-bar! I which isarranged at the L projection 92 for attachmentof one end of a tensioning spring 93; the other end of which is attached to clutch armature adjusting screw 94 supportedby bracket 95' 'in a manner similar to that shown in Fig; S'for supporting screw 53. Bracket 95'issimilar in design-to-bracket 35 and is'afilxedto panel In by screws 96, 91. Tensioningspring 93'is-providedfor returning the bending lever mechanism to'it's-normal position upon completicnof the bending operation. In its nor mal position of rest: bending arm 81- separates oiT-normal springs 98, 89 from eachother by exerting pressure against an' insulated stop pin I00; which is fastened to spring '98 and which is permitted to-freely pass through-anopening (not shown) in spring: 99; During thebending oper ation of arm 8| pressureagainst pin lilfl is re'- leased andthesprings-BB, 98 contact each-other. The'function of'the off normal springs 98, 99 will be explainedfully during the description of the circuit operation. Theautomatic'control equipment-namely, relays, start key," etc.', for the machine are' not shown mounted on panel I8 but this equipment is of conventional-type and their functions will bedescribed hereinafter in the circuit operation.

The general operationof'themachine is as follows:

The-spring l2 (Fig; 1) tube straightened is placed uponthebase |3ofvise' ll with its-two mounting-holesfnot shown) registering over projections I 6, l1 and is clampedsecurely by arm I4 through the threading action of thumb screw l5 into base l3 Assuming that the spring deflection is downward, generally it will be upward, deforming lever I8 is pressed upward against spring l2f as faras the-lever can travel; that is; until the tip of adjusting screwlS-bearsagainst the underside of base l3 Lever l8 is-th'err released and spring I2 assumes-a deformation similarto that showninFig. 1.

To predetermine theamount'of spring flexure required to bringspring- [2 to its position of alignment with center marker 2!, quantitative lever: 24 is rotated until contact 33 thereof engages the-contactofspring l2, as shown in Fig. 2. However, lever 24 in its position of rest (see Fig. 1) normallyhasits'left arm 21 hearing against pin stop IIH rigidl'y secured'to'the free lock lever arm 26 in contact with spring The release of clutch magnet 51 permits comgear 49 downwardso that gear 49 meshes with driving pinion 48. In the meantime motor 32 has also been energized with the result that upon the meshing of clutch gear 49 with driving pinion 46 the motive power is transferred through the train of gears to lever 24. Upon engagement of contact 33 with thatof spring l2, brake magnet 62, clutch magnet 51, and motor 32 be-. come deenergized. Brake armature, 'II' is retracted to its normal position by spring .13 whereupon finger 12 engages clutch gear 49 to l2.

pressive spring 56 to force clutch gear 49 upward and out of engagement with driving pinion 46. As shown in Fig. 5, clutch finger 12 can lock gear 49 in either its normal (upper) or perated (lower) position.

The amount of spring deformation having having been determined by the relative position of quantitative lever 24, particularly contact 89v the bending lever is then rotated clockwise to flex contact spring !2 with its bending arm 8| until the spring has been deflected its predetermined distance, as shown in Fig. 3. Rotation of the bending lever is produced in a similar.

manner to that of the quantitative lever. The magnetic clutch l8, magnetic brake l9, and

.electric motor I33 are all energized, as in the l8, and electric motor I03, as explained hereinafter, and thus locks the bending lever in its flexing condition, as shown in Fig. 3.

Havingdeformed the contact spring to a definite degree, the final step is to restore both levers to their normal positions and to release the contactspring. This is performed by energizing both brake magnets 62 and I9, which in attaching their armatures release the respective clutch gear trains in a manner already described. Quantitative lever 24 is returned to its normal position through the influence of retractile spring 34 while at the same time the bending lever is restored by spring 93. Upon return of the levers to their normal positions both brake magnets release, and look their respective levers in position. The operation is completed upon the release of contact spring l2 from bending arm 8|, spring l2 returning to a position in alignment with center marker 2|, as indicated by the dot-dash lines of Fig. 1.

Experiments made on typica1 relay springs indicate the only temporary deformations are obsprings under test were found to be at angular deflections of approximately 25. It is recognized, of course, that for springs of different cross-sectional area the elastic limit thereof will pears to be approximately linear. In other Words, if a spring tip is s5" out of line and the spring has to be bent 4;" beyond its elastic limit to assume its correct position of alignment, a bending amplitude of 1" beyond its elastic limit'would appear necessary to straighten a spring whose tip is out of line. While this linearity is not obtainable for the entire bending range, nevertheless for the ranges which occur in practice, the above bending relationship is, for practical purposes, linear.

The circuit operation of this machine, as dis-. closed in Fig. 6, will now be described. Operation is started by actuating start key H0, which completes an obvious circuit for start relay Ill. Start relay III accordingly energizes and closes a locking circuit for itself from battery through winding and lower front contact thereof and thence through back contact of relay H3 to ground.

Relay Ill at. its three uppermost front contacts also completes energizing circuits for the quantitative lever clutch magnet 51, brake maget 62, and motor 32, respectively; while at its intermediate front contact prepares an operating circuit for relay H2. The circuit for clutch magnet 51 can be traced from battery through winding thereof, bottom intermediate back contact of relay H2, and upper intermediate front contact of relay III to ground. Similarly, the circuit for brake magnet 62 is traced from battery through winding thereof, bottom contact of relay H2, and upper intermediate front contact of relay ill to ground. Motor 32 is energized in a circuit from one leg of an alternating current source through winding of motor 32, upper bottom back contact of relay H2, and uppermost front contact of relay I II to the other leg of the alternating current source.

Clutch magnet 51, upon energizing, engage clutch gear 49 with driving pinion 46 (Fig. 5) while magnet 52 withdraws the brake finger 12 from engagement with the clutch gear 49, as previously described. Motor 32, upon energizing, rotates quantitative lever 24 clockwise through the gear train coupled by the above-described clutch mechanism. When contact 33 of lever arm 26 touches the contact of spring 12, a circuit is closed for the operation of relay I I2, from ground at lever arm 26 through contact 33, contact of spring !2, intermediate front contact of relay i i, and thence through winding of relay H2 to battery. In operating, relay H2 connects a self-locking circuit, from battery through winding and lower front contact thereof, and thence to ground at uppermost back contact of relay H4. Actuation of relay 1 !2 at its three bottom back contacts releases clutch magnet 51 and brake magnet 62, and also opens the circuit for motor 32. As a consequence, motor 32 stops with lever arm 26 in contact with spring I 2; brake magnet 62 looks contact lever arm 26 in this position; and clutch 5T disengages the lever mechanism from the driving motor 32.

Relay H2 at its two upper intermediate front contacts connects ground to the bending lever clutch and brake magnets 18 and [9, respec- 4;. aseigesov tively; through the two intermediate-bottom back-t contacts of relay I13; and-at its uppermost front. contact completesa circuit .for motor I03 through the'lowermost back'contact' of relay H3 for, relay H3. by way of the inner. upper. front contact thereof. In operating,.relay H3 at. its

three bottom back contacts respectively releases:

cluthmagnet'lB, opens the circuit of motor. I03 to-,-stop the-bending lever, and releasesthe brake magnet 19, which locks the bending, lever; at its. inner bottom contact opensa holding circuit for start relay l-H and at its-top front contacts connects energizing ground to relay H4.

Start relay IH thereupon releases and opens an operating circuit forrelay H2. Relay H4 energizes and at its top back contact opens aholdingcircuit for relay I I2, which releases; and at its two: front contacts. connects energizing ground to brake magnets 62 and.l9,,respective1y.- Bothbrake magnets operate and thereupon release the quantitative and bendinglevers to their originalpositions of. rest. Bending lever arm. 8|, upon returning to its normal position separates the-oiT-normal switchsprings-98 and 99 whereby the holding circuitfor relay H3 is opened. Relay l-l3-releases, since its operating circuit was also openedupon. separation of contacts 86 and- 89,. and immediately thereafter releases relay H4. Upon release of the above-mentioned levers, contact springl2 returns to its position of align-- ment, and. the machine is ready for another spring straightening operation.

3 While this invention has-been shownand. dc.- scribedas embodying certain. features merely for the purpose of illustration, it-.will be: under-- stood that it can be used in manyother and widely varied fields without departing from the, spirit of the invention and scope of theappended. claims.

What is claimed is:

LAstraightening machine comprising a support, means on said support for holding a.de--

formed flexible member, an alignment indicator on said support, said member having a free end. for alignment with. said indicator, a rotatable quantitative lever measuring the amount of deformation in said member, said lever comprising an adjustable contact arm contacting the free. end of said member and a second contact arm in. continuationof. said first-mentioned arm, a.ro.- tatable bending lever. deformingv said member oppositely the amount predetermined. by said quantitative lever, said bending. lever comprising. a. crank bending saidmember and a resilient arm contacting. said secondcontact. 'arm to stop the travel of said crank, and electrical control means automatically operating, said levers, whereby upon release of said levers said spring is aligned with said indicator.

2. In a spring straightening machine,.a support. fora bent contact spring, a rotatable quantitative. lever for measuring. distortion in said spring,,a rotatable. bending lever in combination.

, combination with said quantitative lever'to deflect said spring oppositely to its deformation an with. said quantitative lever. to removersaid dis tortion, electromechanical means rotating said:

levers, a. start circuit initiating automatic. operation of said electromechanical means, and an, electrical control circuit includingan off-normal switch regulating the. travel. andrestoral of saidlevers.

3.- In a straighteningimachine, a supportfor adeformed. relay contact spring, quantitativez; means determining the deformation-thereof, correctivemeans-in combination with said quanti tative-means for straightening saidspring, means. includingia. start circuit for initiating operation of said quantitative. means, means including a;

cut-over circuit for starting movement of the corrective means, means including, locking cir-- cuits for holding. said quantitativeand corrective? meansin theirroperated positions, and-means including a release circuit for restoring both: of: -said quantitative. and corrective meansito their normal positions.

4. In a straightening machine, a supportxforxa resilient member having; a deformation therein,. a quantitative: lever: mechanism measuring.

said deformation, a bending lever mechanism in combination with. said: quantitative. mechanism: forxcorrecting said deformation, said second lever."

mechanism bending said spring oppositely to said deformation an amount proportional to the de-- formation measured by said. quantitative lever mechanism, whereby asa' result said deformation is removed and said spring is straightened,

means: including astart circuit for initiating movement of said quantitative mechanism, a,

switching? circuit closed by contact of said'quantheir normal positions.

51 In combination, a spring straightenihgma chine comprising a support: therefor, a vise on" said'support' for' clamping a' deformed relay contact spring, a quantitative lever measuring the deformation in said spring, a bending lever in amount proportional to said measured deformation, individual alternating current motor circuits actuating. said levers, individual electromagnetic brakeand clutchcircuits for'said levers, and a direct current control circuit comprising a start circuit energizing the motor,. brake, and clutch circuits of said quantitative:

themotor, brake, and clutch circuits of the bending lever and returning said levers to their normal positions.

6. In a spring. straightening machine, the com-,

bination with a support for holding a deformed spring, of a bending, lever, means for actuating.

said lever,,a contact arm. insulatedly attached to said lever, measuring. meansfor determiningthe.

amount of deformation in thespring, means for actuating said measuring means, said measuring means including, a-control arm arranged to engage. said contact arm, andmeans operatedby electric current arranged. to passthroughsaid. contact arm. and said control. arm-for. limiting.

the amount to which said deformed spring is bent by said bending arm.

7. A spring straightening machine comprising, in combination, a support for a deformed spring, means for determining the amount of deformation in said spring, said means including a control arm, a spring straightening device comprising a bending lever and a contact arm, means energized by electric current arranged to pass through said spring and said control arm for initiating operation of said bending lever, and means energized by electric current arranged to pass through said contact arm and said control arm for completing operation of said bending lever, thereby regulating the effective operation of the spring straightening device.

8. A spring straightening machine comprising, in combination, a support for a deformed spring, a quantitative lever, means for actuating said quantitative lever, said lever comprising a measuring arm for determining the amount of deformation in said spring and a control arm, a straightening lever, means for actuating said straightening lever, said straightening lever comprising a bending arm for removing said deformation and an insulated contact arm, said contact arm adaptable for engagement with said control arm, and means including an electric circuit closed upon engagement of said contact arm with said control arm for limiting the extent to which said spring is bent by said bending arm.

9. A spring straightening machine comprising, in combination, asupport for a bent spring, a quantitative lever for determining the amount of deformation in said spring, means for actuating said lever, means comprising an electric start circuit and key for initiating operation of said lever, said lever comprising a measuring arm adaptable for engagement with said spring and a control arm, a straightening lever, means for actuating said straightening lever, said straightening lever comprising a bending arm for removing the bend in said spring and an adjustable arm adaptable for engagement with said control arm, means including an electric cut-over circuit closed upon engagement of said measuring arm with said spring for initiating operation of said straightening lever, and means including an electric circuit closed upon engagement of said control arm with said adjustable arm for stopping the operation of the straightening lever.

10. In an article forming apparatus, a support for holding a deformed spring, a device for measuring the amount of deformation in said spring, means for correcting said deformation as determined by the measuring device, said means comprising a bending arm for bending said spring, a member secured to and carried by the bending arm, a control arm on the measuring device for engaging the member on the bending arm to determine the extent to which said bending arm should be operated to bend the spring, and control means automatically operating said measuring device and correcting means sequentially.

11. In a straightening machine, a support for a deformed relay contact spring, quantitative means determining the deformation thereof, corrective means in combination with said quantitative means for straightening said spring, means for initiating operation of said quantitative means, means for starting movement of the corrective means, means for holding said quantitative and corrective means in their operated positions, and means for restoring both of said quantitative and corrective means to their normal positions.

RUDOLPH F. MALLINA. 

